A Comprehensive Look at Heroin Addiction and Florida Treatment

What Is Heroin?

Heroin is made from morphine, which is derived from the opium poppy plant.[1] 

It’s typically seen as a white or brownish powder or as a black, sticky substance called “black tar” heroin.[2] Heroin can be injected, smoked, or snorted, and once ingested, it is rapidly converted back to morphine in the brain and attaches to opioid receptors, flooding the central nervous system with euphoria, relaxation, pain relief, and warmth.

Heroin is classified as a Schedule I controlled substance, and despite being an illegal substance, it remains widely available in the United States.[3] 

Today’s heroin is also frequently contaminated with fentanyl — a synthetic opioid approximately 50 to 100 times stronger than morphine — without the buyer’s knowledge, making heroin increasingly dangerous.

Many paths to addiction begin with prescription opioids, including pain relievers like oxycodone or hydrocodone, before the user eventually transitions to heroin as the original prescriptions are discontinued, limited, or become too expensive. Successful treatment programs need to assess not only the current state of a person’s addiction but also evaluate what circumstances led them to substance abuse in the first place.

 

Heroin Addiction and Abuse

There are many factors that contribute to a person’s susceptibility to heroin addiction, including genetic predisposition, co-occurring disorders, and other psychological and environmental issues. 

Heroin is particularly addictive due to how it affects brain chemistry. It has an intense and rapid effect on the brain’s reward system, and the brain adapts to that effect quickly.[4] Within weeks of regular use, the brain will start to reduce its natural production of endorphins (your body’s natural opioids) and increase the number of opioid receptors that must be activated to feel “normal.”[5] As a result, tolerance is built, the body develops physical dependence, and if heroin is stopped, it results in severe withdrawal symptoms.[6]

The deeply uncomfortable withdrawal symptoms are one of the main reasons why heroin is so hard to quit without medical support. The initial stage of withdrawal usually occurs within 6 to 12 hours after the last dose and peaks during the first 24 to 72 hours. Typically, withdrawal symptoms subside in a week or two but can persist for several additional weeks.[7] While withdrawal symptoms themselves are usually not life-threatening, the suffering is uncomfortable enough that many people relapse just to make it stop.

Co-occurring mental health conditions are also extremely common in people struggling with a heroin addiction.[8] Chronic pain, unresolved trauma, depression, anxiety, and PTSD frequently underlie opioid use.[9] Effective heroin addiction treatment addresses all of it: the substance, the dependence, the mental health, and the life that built up around use.

 

Signs and Symptoms of Heroin Use

The signs of heroin abuse are hard to identify at the early stages of use, but some common signs include:

Physical signs:

• Small pupil size
• Slow or shallow breathing
• Extreme sleepiness or nodding off
• Slurred speech
• Low heart rate
• Weight loss
• Needle tracks or bruises on arms and legs from injecting
• Runny nose when heroin was smoked or sniffed
• Itching or scratching skin without reason

Behavioral signs:

• Pulling away from friends and family
• Hiding behaviors
• Taking money or valuables and spending them in ways that don’t make sense
• Dropping grades or school performance
• Possession of items such as small packets, needles, syringes, or foil

Withdrawal signs:

• Restlessness and anxiety
• Sweating
• Watering eyes
• Runny nose
• Yawning
• Muscle pains
• Stomach cramps
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Diarrhea
• Insomnia
• Intense cravings, usually beginning within hours after the last dose

Psychological signs:

• Mood swings
• Depression and irritability when not using
• Lack of enjoyment in past hobbies
• Increasing social isolation

Overdose signs:

• Unresponsiveness
• Very slow or stopped breathing
• Bluish or grey colored lips or fingertips
• Gurgling sounds

Heroin overdose is a medical emergency. If you suspect you or someone you know has overdosed on heroin, call 911 immediately and administer Narcan (naloxone) if available. Because fentanyl is commonly added to heroin, multiple doses of Narcan may be needed.[10]

 

Heroin Withdrawal and Detox

Although heroin withdrawal is not usually fatal, it can be extremely severe and contributes significantly to relapse risk.[11] 

Symptoms usually peak during the first three days and continue to decrease over the course of a week or two. However, psychological symptoms associated with withdrawal, such as depression, anxiety, and cravings, can be present for much longer.[12] 

For those with a severe dependence, medical detoxification may be necessary. A medical detox center is designed to provide supportive medication for withdrawal symptoms, around-the-clock monitoring, and a safe environment to protect clients during the highest-risk phase of early withdrawal.

Although Forward Motion Health is not a detox facility, if detox is a necessary first step in your recovery, our admissions staff can coordinate detox placements with one of our trusted partners in the Florida area. Then, once detox is completed, we can transition you seamlessly into our accredited residential program, if that is your next step. 

Florida Heroin Addiction Treatment Options

Heroin addiction is a condition that requires a comprehensive approach for successful recovery. The severity of physical dependence, combined with withdrawal, significant risk of relapse, and risk of overdose, necessitates comprehensive treatment strategies that address the whole picture. 

Forward Motion Health offers a residential treatment program for men that provides clients with 24-hour clinical care and support in an environment free of outside triggers and distractions. Within our residential program, we provide FDA-approved medications such as buprenorphine (Suboxone), naltrexone (oral or injectable Vivitrol), and coordinated methadone when clinically indicated.

Because we know that heroin addiction is often a result of untreated co-occurring mental health conditions, we also offer integrated treatment for depression, anxiety, PTSD, chronic pain, and other mental health disorders requiring simultaneous treatment.

Our Florida heroin addiction program is built around clinical depth, integrated dual diagnosis care, and the kind of care continuity that supports long-term recovery.